It's Raining, It's Pouring

June 11, 2012
Davenier's (the Very Fairy Princess books) fluid artwork illustrates the lyrics to Peter, Paul, and Mary's 1962 recording, "It's Raining." When rain interrupts a group of kids' outdoor fun, they head indoors to play hide-and-seek, while one child reads in bed with the ailing "old man" (grandpa), who bumped his head on a flowerpot. The folk trio's lyrics reference the hide-and-seek game, and the verses draw in other nursery rhymes ("Hey Diddle Diddle"; "Star Light, Star Bright"); the song's original verse about burning ladybug children has been skipped, happily. In Davenier's capable hands, the grandparents' warm, welcoming home provides a cozy contrast to the gloomy weather, and the verses accompany whimsical fantasy scenes of grandpa and child interacting with nursery rhyme characters; along with the lines "Won't be my father's Jack./ No, I won't be my mother's Jill," the grandfather offers his ice pack to Jack, who has just tumbled down the hill. A sweet-natured interpretation with a happy endingâgrandpa is certainly capable of getting up in the morning. An accompanying CD presents this and two other songs. Ages 4âup.

July 1, 2012

Gr 3-5-This is a great introduction to presidential history by way of looking at pets that have lived in the White House, from alligators to pigs and everything in between. Filled with goofy illustrations that will pull kids in, the book is well organized, with each president receiving a colorful spread. Each entry opens with a humorous rhyming poem that describes an event with the pet, which usually has historical significance, and includes "Presidential Stats"-basic information about the man's personal life and term. A "Tell Me More!" box offers a mix of about five pieces of trivia about the president and the animal he lived with. For example, the entry on Grant speaks of his ponies, dog, and parrot, but also talks about how he was the first president to run against a woman and then briefly discusses Victoria Woodhull. "Accomplishments & Events" has three or four items listed. Moberg uses humor, trivia, and children's innate love of animals to bring to life the presidents and the history that surrounded their time in office. This is a book that readers can come back to over and over, enjoying different aspects of it each time and in a different order.-Kerry Roeder, The Brearley School, New York City

Copyright 2012 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2012
Grades 4-7 Books on presidential trivia are not in short supply, but this one, offering funny rhyming prose alongside relatable trivia facts, distinguishes itself with laugh-out-loud illustrations. Readers will be smitten with the images of Thomas Jefferson nonchalantly walking his two bear cubs on leashes, an angry Andrew Jackson arguing with his foul-mouthed parrot, and Theodore Roosevelt's prized dog, Pete, biting an unassuming French ambassador in the backside. Forty-three anecdotes are included, and each is introduced with a clever poem that is perfectly suited for read-alouds. Lists of accomplishments and basic statistics for each president are also included, and although the book is not tremendously comprehensive, it is notably up-to-date, including the takedown of Osama bin Ladin in Barack Obama's section. The mixture of straight nonfiction text, rhythmic verse, and vibrant graphics make this a versatile addition to any collection or classroom in need of a presidential trivia tome.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)